Welcome to the Center for Jewish History

The largest and most comprehensive archive of the modern Jewish experience outside of Israel

Located in downtown New York City just off Union Square, the Center for Jewish History (CJH) preserves and mobilizes Jewish history. The Center provides a collaborative home for five partner organizations: the American Jewish Historical Society, the American Sephardi Federation, the Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum, and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Together, their archival collections constitute the largest archive of Jewish history outside Israel, including 7 linear miles of documents, 500,000 books, and thousands of other rare artifacts. Thanks to this unique collection, CJH ranks as one of the world’s leading research institutions, effectively making it the National Archives of Diaspora Jewry. Scholars from around the world regularly conduct research in our Lillian Goldman Reading Room while members of the general public explore their family histories in our Ackman and Ziff Family Genealogy Institute.

The Center for Jewish History also functions as a leading cultural institution. Each year, CJH welcomes tens of thousands of visitors to our many public programs, including art exhibitions, public lectures, book talks, film screenings, musical performances, and holiday celebrations.

The Center is a Smithsonian Affiliate, and is a partner of the Google Cultural Institute.